Guides

Make for beginners: first automation in ~10 minutes

Goal: a first working automation in about 10 minutes. That's a target, not a timing we measured. Steps follow Make's own guide, Create your first scenario.

What you'll build

Make's beginner example watches a Google Sheet for new rows and posts each one to Slack. You need a Make account, a Google account and a Slack workspace, all free to create (Make Help). Use your own apps if you prefer; the steps are the same shape.

Steps

1. Create a Make account on the Free plan. In our test, sign-up needed no card or phone.
2. Create a scenario: click + Create a new scenario (top right), rename it, and save (Make Help: Add your first app).
3. Add the trigger: click the big plus, choose Google Sheets > Watch New Rows, and create the Google connection when asked (Make Help).
4. Add the action: add Slack > Send a message, connect Slack, and map the sheet's columns into the message (Make Help).
5. Test it: run the scenario once and check the bubbles above each module: the first number is operations, the coin number is credits (Make Help: Operations).
6. Schedule and activate: keep the default Every 15 minutes, save, then Activate scenario (Make Help: Schedule).

Tips from our test

• A module added from "+" didn't auto-connect for us; we had to use "Link it to your scenario".
• "Authentication type" had no default, so pick one.
• The Maia AI panel opened by default; you can close it.

From our hands-on test (Oct 21, 2026, Free plan).

Watch your credits

Make notes that a trigger running every 15 minutes still checks for data each time, and recommends deactivating test scenarios so they don't use credits (Make Help). See Make pricing explained.

FAQ

Can a beginner use Make?

Make publishes a step-by-step first scenario for beginners (Make Help). Builders in our sources call it the visual middle ground between Zapier and n8n.

How long does a first Make automation take?

We aim for about 10 minutes for a two-app scenario, but we haven't timed it, so treat that as a goal.

Does a test scenario use credits?

Yes. Each module run uses credits, so Make suggests deactivating test scenarios afterwards (Make Help).